So I am only 3 weeks into this program and I am already feeling stronger. I am feeling very tempted to add extra weightlifts to the simplefit program. Any thoughts? Should I just leave well enough alone for a while?

Thanks for the reply. I may not have been too clear on what I was asking. I wanted to know if I should I add extra exercises, like curls or military press, etc, to the routines. Basically I am asking if simplefit alone is enough to add real muscle?

First - what do you mean by "real muscle?" I don't think this program will give you a bodybuilder body, which for me is a plus. You will get physical strength.

I will resist the urge to rant.

I have just finished the 12 week crossfit beginner program. It is essentially a modified Starting Strength program. If you want to add some work with weights - I recommend the Starting Strength program as an addition to SF. The book is a good read at any rate. It helped me immediately with my squat form.

Just my opinion.

EDIT: The program I did was restricted to the 3 moves Kevin just mentioned.

No I don't want to look like the guys on bodybuilding.com by any means. I just want to be strong and look good with my shirt off. It just seems like I should be doing more than 3 simple exercises to get in shape. I guess have a hard time getting away from the standard weightlifter mentality of isolating your body parts into 15 exercises. It seems like there is no way I can put muscle on my arms and legs just by doing unweighted squats, pushups and pullups. Then again, I am pretty much trashed all over from doing yesterday's L2D1 workout, so what do I know?

I like the idea of crossfit, but I don't like how random and somewhat complex it is. I like knowing what I'm going to be doing for the next month. Simplefit is great that way.

It seems like there is no way I can put muscle on my arms and legs just by doing unweighted squats, pushups and pullups.

My arms (and back) are bigger than they ever were before I started Simplefit. I lift weights as well but just deadlift, squat, presses and barbell rows.

Think of it this way, if you're moving around heavy weights with deadlifts and presses and barbell rows, you're arms HAVE to get bigger. You can't have little arms and be deadlifting 300 pounds. Same thing with the pull-ups.

As far as muscle mass on the legs, I honestly can't tell if they're bigger but they're definitely more defined. The large number of body weight squats seem to have helped with that along with flexibility in the legs.

Bottom line, you're on L2, when you get to L8, you're going to have gone through a huge change. I've seen huge changes (still seeing them) and I'm on L6. Not to brag, but have you seen my photos? Not perfect but you can't argue a significant change has taken place and most of that was "just" bodyweight exercises. I haven't really gotten into the power lifts until the last two months or so.

Vbm and Splint touched on an important topic and that is "performance oriented goals" or "form follows function", if you can do level 6-8 for week 1 or week 2 simplefit you will be happy with how you look with your shirt off.

People think "simplefit easy" but level levels 5-7 are no joke and 8 will put 90% of people who are considered elite athletes on their ass or head in a bucket. It simply cannot be done with high body fat, low muscle mass, and lack of intense metabolic conditioning period.

Vbm and Splint touched on an important topic and that is "performance oriented goals" or "form follows function", if you can do level 6-8 for week 1 or week 2 simplefit you will be happy with how you look with your shirt off.

That being said - I try really hard not to focus on my physical appearance. That is "I try!" - damn it's hard when I look so good! JUST KIDDING

I have other, more healthy goals in my list, but I get satisfaction out of the changes I see in the mirror. See my "Vanity" post in the Fitness Community section. It is a nice fringe benefit.

Thanks for the responses. As I said, I am just overthinking things. I weight 210 and I'm not fat, so when I can knock down levels 6+ I would have to have some pretty decent strength. You guys are right. I wasn't trying to knock the program, it just seems weird going to the gym and doing 3 things for 10-20 mins, when everyone else is there for an hour going through 3 sets on 10 machines. It messes with my head.

P.S. - Splint, those are some impressive pics, hopefully I'll have similar results.

That's the beauty of Simplefit to me. You don't waste your time like the other folks in the gym. Simplefit works. In fact, you can perform this workout anywhere, especially if you have a door gym. You don't have to go to a gym to suceed. That is a myth.

That is true and the funny thing is, knowing that I don't have to go to the gym to get an effective workout, actually makes me WANT to go to the gym. Not all the time, but on occasion I feel the need to work with weights or to do a Crossfit WOD and I WANT to get to the gym. That's a big change over last year when going to the gym was just part of the routine and I couldn't care less what I did there.

I love this kind of workout mentality. Look at gymnasts. How many of them lift weights? I really like the crossfit and simplefit way of thinking and I want to progress full time into the WOD but I love this simplefit idea. In just a few short years my wife and I are planning on Rv'n full time for a year or two.

this workout is going to be perfect for me cause I'll be in the woods or a campground somewhere. I just have to find a place for pullups and that should be easy.

tkbslc wrote:Thanks for the responses. As I said, I am just overthinking things. I weight 210 and I'm not fat, so when I can knock down levels 6+ I would have to have some pretty decent strength. You guys are right. I wasn't trying to knock the program, it just seems weird going to the gym and doing 3 things for 10-20 mins, when everyone else is there for an hour going through 3 sets on 10 machines. It messes with my head.

P.S. - Splint, those are some impressive pics, hopefully I'll have similar results.

It was a great question, never stop asking questions all great things come from questions. Weights are great and you should do them, climb mountains, and do a martial art or any anything else you can think of that sounds fun variety is good for the soul.

Funny thing happened today. After my D2 workout, I decided I'd try some curls. I thought I would test out your guys' theory about not needing to do isolation exercises. The last time I did curls (before simplefit), I could barely do 1 rep with the 40lb dumbells. Today I did a set of 5 reps with them! I was even able to do the 50 pounders one rep. 55's wouldn't quite make it up, but close. I guess you peeps know what you are talking about. Yay simplefit.